Start renovating now for next to nothing

My goal is to create a private space within my home that can be used as an in-law apartment or guest suite with a private entrance. Starting with a home characterized by two front doors helped to make this transition easy. This space is about 250 square feet and consists of a kitchen sitting-room, a bed/bath room and a half bath with sink.

Renovation Design

The doorway on the kitchen fridge wall is new. It existed before and we reopened it. The bath tub replaces a closet area.

Before view of kitchen

The original kitchen looked nicely spacious. But I wanted to make it do double duty as a sitting area as well. So I moved the fridge to the wall opposite the front door and morphed its original location into a cozy arm chair nook. The bed bath area and construction cleanup remain to be done, so please excuse the mess

After view of kitchen

I am nearing the end of my kitchen renovation which cost me about $43.

The price is low because I used materials I already had on hand. These included copper colored tin ceiling tiles which can be purchase for $2 per sf. Stenciling with a microwave steamer food container (the one with the holes). Sponge painting and furnishing incorporates free and inexpensive materials available on ebay.com, etsy.com, craigslist.com and stuff left on the curb for trash pickup. My kitchen rug 2 x 5 ft., is indoor outdoor carpet purchased for $35 at overstock.com. Frames were $2 and under at Salvation Army in Ilion. Habitat for Humanity in Syracuse is home to nearly free paint and used kitchen cabinets.

Kitchen back splash hanging units can be quite pricy. The white wooden trim above my backsplash is a 2 x 4 from a closet demolished in the adjacent bedroom. It’s decorated with free form contact paper cutouts (Black and white) and transformed for maximized storage usefulness with cup hangers from etsy.com that cost under 50 cents each.

If you would like to hire me for inexpensive design and shopping assistance, call or text Linda at 315-360-3910. Your Herkimer renovation design can be thrifty and fabululous!

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This blog is my perspective on dwelling in our small village nestled among beautiful forests, farms and open landscapes. Educated in Israel and the US, I have an MS in Computer Science. My viewpoint has been shaped by world travel, friends and benefactors both strangers and people I know.
Linda Kaidan
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